Elected: 2019

Twitter: @MattMartinChi

Campaign Site: https://www.matt47.com/

Bio: A former civil rights lawyer with the Illinois Attorney General’s office, Matt Martin ran on a progressive platform of affordable housing, police oversight and TIF-reform efforts in 2019. Beyond his legal work, Martin served on his local school board at McPherson Elementary and co-founded the Heart of Lincoln Square Neighborhood Association. In 2019, he handily defeated opponent Michael Negron, who formerly worked as a policy advisor to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, with 62 percent of the vote. He’s maintained his progressive stances, as he was one of more than 20 aldermen to vote against Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 2021 pandemic budget as well as her $94 million property tax increase that year. Martin also voted against her 2020 budget and called it a step in the right direction, but not quite enough. More recently, Martin voted “no” on Lightfoot’s 2023 spending plan. Martin was one of several aldermen who pushed for the mayor to bring back the Department of Environment in the 2023 budget. Lightfoot instead included an Office of Climate and Environment Equity in her spending plan. Martin is currently the interim chair of the City Council Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight.

Sources:

https://news.wttw.com/elections/voters-guide/2019/candidates/chicago-city-council/matt-martin

https://blockclubchicago.org/2019/04/02/47th-ward-matt-martin-vs-michael-negron/

https://www.aldermanmartin.com/2020-budgetd

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